As the sleek Enviro400 bus from Nolan Coaches rumbled past The Back Page pub in Phibsboro, Dublin 7, it couldn’t help but slow down for a second glance at the mural of the legendary Mrs. Doyle. There she was, immortalized in all her tea-pushing glory, her iconic “Go on, Bohs!” echoing through the ages—or at least through the walls of this football-loving pub. The bus, clearly a Bohemian F.C. fan itself, seemed to nod in approval, as if Mrs. Doyle was urging it to take the scenic route through Dublin 7 with a nice cuppa in hand. “Go on, ye good thing,” the mural seemed to whisper, and the bus revved up, ready to tackle the city streets with the same enthusiasm Mrs. Doyle had for her tea tray.
Inside The Back Page, the regulars chuckled as they watched the Nolan Coaches bus pass by, almost certain Mrs. Doyle’s mural had given it a caffeinated blessing. “Sure, if Mrs. Doyle can get the Bohs to victory, she can get that bus to its stop on time!” one punter quipped, raising his pint to the mural. The phrase “Mes Que Un Pub” above the door took on a whole new meaning as the spirit of Father Ted’s most relentless tea-lady seemed to infuse the whole street with her chaotic energy. Who needs a timetable when you’ve got Mrs. Doyle cheering you on? The bus driver, probably humming the Father Ted theme, sped off into the Dublin mist, fueled by the power of “Go on!” and the promise of a good cup of tea at the end of the route.
